diff --git a/zio-http/src/main/scala/zhttp/service/Handler.scala b/zio-http/src/main/scala/zhttp/service/Handler.scala
index b49d545733..f74e1f77f3 100644
--- a/zio-http/src/main/scala/zhttp/service/Handler.scala
+++ b/zio-http/src/main/scala/zhttp/service/Handler.scala
@@ -51,19 +51,20 @@ private[zhttp] final case class Handler[R](
           case throwable: Throwable => resWriter.write(throwable, jReq)
         }
       case jReq: HttpRequest     =>
-        if (canHaveBody(jReq)) {
-          ctx.channel().config().setAutoRead(false): Unit
-        }
+        val hasBody = canHaveBody(jReq)
+        if (hasBody) ctx.channel().config().setAutoRead(false): Unit
         try
           unsafeRun(
             jReq,
             app,
             new Request {
-              override def data: HttpData = HttpData.UnsafeAsync(callback =>
-                ctx
-                  .pipeline()
-                  .addAfter(HTTP_REQUEST_HANDLER, HTTP_CONTENT_HANDLER, new RequestBodyHandler(callback)): Unit,
-              )
+              override def data: HttpData = if (hasBody) asyncData else HttpData.empty
+              private final def asyncData =
+                HttpData.UnsafeAsync(callback =>
+                  ctx
+                    .pipeline()
+                    .addAfter(HTTP_REQUEST_HANDLER, HTTP_CONTENT_HANDLER, new RequestBodyHandler(callback)): Unit,
+                )
 
               override def headers: Headers = Headers.make(jReq.headers())
 
@@ -101,9 +102,10 @@ private[zhttp] final case class Handler[R](
     }
   }
 
-  private def canHaveBody(req: HttpRequest): Boolean = req.method() match {
-    case HttpMethod.GET | HttpMethod.HEAD | HttpMethod.OPTIONS | HttpMethod.TRACE => false
-    case _                                                                        => true
+  private def canHaveBody(req: HttpRequest): Boolean = {
+    req.method() == HttpMethod.TRACE ||
+    req.headers().get(HttpHeaderNames.CONTENT_LENGTH) != null ||
+    req.headers().get(HttpHeaderNames.TRANSFER_ENCODING) != null
   }
 
   /**